# Anyone Use a Label Maker?



## Habano (Jul 5, 2010)

A fellow Puffer here and friend of mine send me some blank labels from Heartfelt to use for labeling cigars. After awhile my handwriting starts to suck as my hand gets tired. So I thought about using a label maker to use and put over the blank white bands. Obviously I wouldn't apply the label maker band directly to the cigar as it would tear the cigar and stick to it, but rather use the blank Heartfelt band around the cigar, then apply the label make band over top of the blank band to hold it all together. In the end, a much cleaner look.

I've also used the online label crap, but each time when it prints it's never right and by the time it gets to the last band on the sheet, it prints it at the very bottom of the label and looks trashy. I'm probably just being anal, but I like to be organized when it comes to expensive cigars.


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## David_ESM (May 11, 2011)

Sharpie + cellophane, combine with digital copy of stick inventory.


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Anyone on this page should do you David!

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I use the first one for labeling electrical circuits!
But i think the one right under it $60 that hooks up to a computer is all you need for cigar labels!


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## StogieNinja (Jul 29, 2009)

I use tiny price-tag labels from any dept store.


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## WyldKnyght (Apr 1, 2011)

For my cigars in Cello I use a sharpie, I use a P-Touch Label Maker for my cigars the are not in Cello or in a tubo.

I print the label with 12 spaces then the date. Then I clip about 1/4" of the backing off one side the wrap it around the cigar and stick the label to itself.

Works great for me...


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## ConnorMRyan (Sep 9, 2011)

Use barcodes, they look nice and make inventory a breeze


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## penguinshockey (Aug 31, 2010)

TonyBrooklyn said:


> Anyone on this page should do you David!
> 
> <SharePointelegateControl runat="server" ControlId="AdditionalPageTitle" AllowMultipleControls="true" __designerreview="<table cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="font: messagebox; color: buttontext; background-color: buttonface; border: solid
> 
> ...


$56 for the Labelmanager® PnP label maker and ~$11/roll on amazon.com (free shipping). Cost per label works out to be about 3.18 cents / label assuming a 3/4 inch label. In my case lets assume some 1500 cigars all labelled - $47 plus the label printer = $95 to start.

This might work for me but I would like to know more about barcodes. I hate sharpies . . . and worry about the smell.


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## stock93pgt (Jan 3, 2011)

been thinking about using the labeler i have, i have one of them brother label printer, reason for me is i cant write with my left! im a righty! i had a stroke, thats why i cant write with my left. they said i should practice on writing with my left since i prob wont be able to with my right, but you know, this keyboard is getting the best out of me! lol


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## Cigary (Oct 19, 2007)

WyldKnyght said:


> For my cigars in Cello I use a sharpie, I use a P-Touch Label Maker for my cigars the are not in Cello or in a tubo.
> 
> I print the label with 12 spaces then the date. Then I clip about 1/4" of the backing off one side the wrap it around the cigar and stick the label to itself.
> 
> Works great for me...


This is an awesome way to inventory and very easy to do..costs pennies and it looks great...great system that I am going to start myself. Thx for the pic and for an AR guy like me...gotta do this.



ConnorMRyan said:


> Use barcodes, they look nice and make inventory a breeze


Lol...awesome and if I could do this w/o having to go thru 4K cigars I'd almost do this. For those of you who are starting out this would be "magic"...what's the cost for the reader and converting to this system? I just might consider doing this if the cost is worth it.


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## ConnorMRyan (Sep 9, 2011)

Cigary said:


> This is an awesome way to inventory and very easy to do..costs pennies and it looks great...great system that I am going to start myself. Thx for the pic and for an AR guy like me...gotta do this.
> 
> Lol...awesome and if I could do this w/o having to go thru 4K cigars I'd almost do this. For those of you who are starting out this would be "magic"...what's the cost for the reader and converting to this system? I just might consider doing this if the cost is worth it.


If you have/ can pick up a cheap smart phone, you can easily get an app that reads barcodes for free, if not you can pick up a cheap scanner for 25-100$


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## Cigary (Oct 19, 2007)

ConnorMRyan said:


> If you have/ can pick up a cheap smart phone, you can easily get an app that reads barcodes for free, if not you can pick up a cheap scanner for 25-100$


I do have an Android phone that can read barcodes...but I'm challenged when it comes to putting it into action and my little mind only has so much wrapping paper.


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## Habano (Jul 5, 2010)

Just picked this up this morning.....










Dymo LabelManager 450 - High Performance label maker with PC / MAC Connection

A little pricey from Dymo, but can be found for about $75 if you shop around. The big seller for me on this one is you can print up to five lines. I'd like two lines, one for the name of the cigar, and the second line for the date of the cigar. Plus, you can use this for barcodes, which I like the idea for my boxes.


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## sengjc (Nov 15, 2010)

I use a Dymo too.


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## Habano (Jul 5, 2010)

ConnorMRyan said:


> If you have/ can pick up a cheap smart phone, you can easily get an app that reads barcodes for free, if not you can pick up a cheap scanner for 25-100$


Wouldn't you need some type of application to track/monitor the barcodes? Most of the barcode readers for smart phones are for price comparison for online stores. Not sure how you'd use a label maker to print a barcode, and then use a smart phone to scan the barcode. Then what would do you do? The smart phone wouldn't know what that barcode is you just scanned unless it was able to communicate back to some type of application to verify the data to that particular barcide.


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## Habano (Jul 5, 2010)

New label maker arrived today. Love the way you can customize the labels and the option to print on three lines. I only need two, but it's nice to know I can do three lines. Three down and many more to go.


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## WyldKnyght (Apr 1, 2011)

Starbuck said:


> New label maker arrived today. Love the way you can customize the labels and the option to print on three lines. I only need two, but it's nice to know I can do three lines. Three down and many more to go.


Very nice David


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## Dizzy (Mar 19, 2011)

I wish I had the patience to justify labeling my cigars. I throw them in the humi, and grab a random one when I want to smoke. HAH


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## gahdzila (Apr 29, 2010)

Aninjaforallseasons said:


> I use tiny price-tag labels from any dept store.


Exactly what I do. I picked up a pack of them at Office Depot, write the date on them, and stick the sticker directly on the cello. On cigars without cello, I'll either write the date on the band, or stick a sticker on the band....whichever works at the time.

For boxes, I just write the date on a post-it note and put it in the box, rather than labeling each individual cigar.



Dizzy said:


> I wish I had the patience to justify labeling my cigars. I throw them in the humi, and grab a random one when I want to smoke. HAH


It seems like a daunting task, but once you get in the habit, it really doesn't require much effort at all.

I used to do like you, just toss 'em in the humi. As my collection grew, I found that on occasion I'd smoke a cigar that just seemed to be better...I knew it was because it had rested in my humi for longer, but I only had a vague idea of how long. Dating your stash will help you get a handle on this...you'll know exactly how old your cigars are, and you'll start to get a feel for how long you should age your favorites before smoking them.


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## ShortFuse (Jun 6, 2011)

I use artist markers. They dry quick, as in immeidately, and dont leave the Sharpie stench. 

I only call them artist markers because I've seen them sold at craft stores. The one I actually use is out of our tactical mapping overlay kit. 8 colors of Staedtler Lumocolor markers and some stencils. 

Also thought about using a grease pencil / china marker too. No stench, cheaper, but have to press firmer on the celo. 

Between my opinion and the change in your couch, you can get a coffee at McDonalds.


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## akneipp (Aug 3, 2011)

A possibility I just realized.

QR codes.

They can be coded with text and there are numerous smartphone apps to read the information on them. There are also numerous websites and standalone programs to create them. Combined with an inventory spreadsheet, you could output the data from your spreadsheet into a QR code program, it will input the data as text and create a QR code. Then, you can print the QR code, apply it to the wrapper and when you find what you are looking for, subtract it from your spreadsheet to reduce your inventory.

Nice thing is, minus labels for printing, there's really no other cost (printer ink as well).

On top of that, if you just want to grab a few sticks and take with you to a herf or vacation and forget what they are, bust out your phone, scan the code and there's all your info. Scan your codes before you smoke, when you get back home, check out the scan history in your QR code app and deduct those from your inventory spreadsheet.

Also, this doesn't take any programming genius. QR codes, by default, have the ability to store text. Here's a sample I just did. A program like Barcode Scanner should display the info right on your smartphone screen.










I'm going to track down some small labels that I can print a QR code on and put this into a test phase to see how it works. I mean, I know it will work, I just need to see how well I will actually implement it.


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## Habano (Jul 5, 2010)

akneipp said:


> A possibility I just realized.
> 
> QR codes.
> 
> ...


An excellent idea...but I do not think many label makers can print QR codes. At least the one I bought is not able to do it. I would only use the barcodes for boxes and not single sticks.


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## akneipp (Aug 3, 2011)

Starbuck said:


> An excellent idea...but I do not think many label makers can print QR codes. At least the one I bought is not able to do it. I would only use the barcodes for boxes and not single sticks.


QR codes are images. A standard inkjet / laser printer will print them out on a piece of paper. That's why I suggested it, no need for a label printer. Just buy some basic label sheets and some black ink.


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## Dizzy (Mar 19, 2011)

gahdzila said:


> It seems like a daunting task, but once you get in the habit, it really doesn't require much effort at all.
> 
> I used to do like you, just toss 'em in the humi. As my collection grew, I found that on occasion I'd smoke a cigar that just seemed to be better...I knew it was because it had rested in my humi for longer, but I only had a vague idea of how long. Dating your stash will help you get a handle on this...you'll know exactly how old your cigars are, and you'll start to get a feel for how long you should age your favorites before smoking them.


I imagine I will get there eventually, but I've only started putting sticks in a humidor 4 months ago. Everything I have bought, is younger, and the ones I have been bombed are of varying age and don't last long because I'm trying new things and smoke them rather shortly after I get them.

My buddy just bought the "Aging Vault" off of CI, and I'm extremely jealous. If I ever get a set up that holds more than my current stash (roughly 75-80 sticks) I will most likely start labeling so I can get a feel for the taste after letting them age.


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## havanajohn (Apr 4, 2009)

David, I also use a Dymo and love it. I used to use the blank bands/sharpie thing, but they looked terrible. The labels just look neater.


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## Habano (Jul 5, 2010)

havanajohn said:


> David, I also use a Dymo and love it. I used to use the blank bands/sharpie thing, but they looked terrible. The labels just look neater.


Exactly why I went this route John. I also wanted to do away with the computer and printer as well. It was a pain in the arse to get the lables printed up where I wanted them and centered. The first two or three rows looked good, but the time the print was done, the last two or three rows were way off and the band was useable. The Dymo has been by far the best route to go.


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## cartey (Jul 28, 2011)

penguinshockey said:


> $56 for the Labelmanager® PnP label maker and ~$11/roll on amazon.com (free shipping). Cost per label works out to be about 3.18 cents / label assuming a 3/4 inch label. In my case lets assume some 1500 cigars all labelled - $47 plus the label printer = $95 to start.
> 
> This might work for me but I would like to know more about barcodes. I hate sharpies . . . and worry about the smell.


This is relevant to my interest.
Can you just stick the Dymo D1 label tape directly on the cigar? Or is it a non-stick, wrap-around type label? Or do you stick the label over another wrap that's already on the cigar?

Thanks.


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## BMack (Dec 8, 2010)

gahdzila said:


> It seems like a daunting task, but once you get in the habit, it really doesn't require much effort at all.
> 
> I used to do like you, just toss 'em in the humi. As my collection grew, I found that on occasion I'd smoke a cigar that just seemed to be better...I knew it was because it had rested in my humi for longer, but I only had a vague idea of how long. Dating your stash will help you get a handle on this...you'll know exactly how old your cigars are, and you'll start to get a feel for how long you should age your favorites before smoking them.


Agreed. It's super easy when you're just putting in a some cigars. It's a hell of a lot easier than pulling out 200 cigars and labeling them...or having 5 different WOAMs, all from different places/bombs and trying to remember which is which. Thank god for labels!

Currently I use paper as bands but I'm getting some labels shortly. I ALWAYS want to know when I'm smoking a gifted cigar, it makes the experience that much better.


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